Do my husband’s health problems have a psychological basis?

Q:My 33 years old husband is constantly complaining about backaches, headaches, stomach problems etc. We have met a number of doctors but no one has been able to diagnose the problem. I have noticed that his illnesses occur more when he is under pressure and even the slightest of pressure at work or at home makes him fall sick. When I try to tell him not to take all these pains seriously, he accuses me of not being supportive. It has now reached a state that he goes very late to work and comes back early and tries to finish the work from home. He is obsessed with health, fitness etc. I am feeling very helpless and it is affecting our married life too. I wanted to know if there is any psychological issue wherein a person always feels that he is falling sick in some way. How can my husband health be treated?

A:Yes, health problems without any diagnosable disease can definitely have a basis in mental disorders; form the mildest to the major ones. I'm afraid though, that merely on the basis of an email, no doctor can prescribe medicine without first talking to the sufferer. I suggest that, in case your husband does not agree to visit a psychiatrist, you discuss this possibility with the physician he regularly visits for his physical ailments. That way the physician can suggest the possibility of a psychological cause and refer you to a competent psychiatrist nearby.